Former US president a witness at same-sex wedding

Washington, Sept 27: Former president George W Bush was an official witness at the same-sex wedding in Maine of two family friends, media reported Thursday.

Bush and wife Barbara attended last weekend's nuptials of Bonnie Clement and Helen Thorgalsen, American commercial broadcast television and radio network NBC reported citing a spokesperson for the former president.

The newlyweds posted on Twitter a photo of Bush signing their marriage license as a witness.

Thorgalsen and Clement own a store in Kennebunk, Maine, near the Bush family's compound.

While gay marriage was not a political issue during G.H.W. Bush's 1989-1993 administration, son George W. Bush expressed opposition to same-sex unions during his eight years in the White House.

In 2004, George W. Bush endorsed the idea of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, even though his vice president, Dick Cheney, is the father of an openly lesbian daughter and a supporter of the right of gays and lesbians to wed.

The younger Bush's wife, Laura Bush, has spoken in favour of same-sex unions.